1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a two-dimensional light-emitting element array device, particularly to a two-dimensional light-emitting element array device using three-terminal light-emitting thyristors. The present invention further relates to a method for driving such a two-dimensional light-emitting element array device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A two-dimensional light-emitting element array device constituted by arranging a plurality of three-terminal thyristors of PNPN structure in two-dimension have been disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 3-200364 and 3-273288, these publications being related to the Japanese Patent applications filed by the present applicant.
The two-dimensional light-emitting array device disclosed in these publications, however, needs at least three light-emitting thyristors and three clock lines for constituting one picture-element, so that there is such a problem that the area of one picture-element is large.
FIG. 1 shows the two-dimensional light-emitting element array device disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-273288. In this device, a plurality of light-emitting thyristors are arranged in two-dimension, i.e., in X-Y matrix. Clock lines CK1-CK3 which supply clocks xcfx861-xcfx863 respectively are connected to the thyristor in such a way that each clock line is connected obliquely from the thyristor on upper left to the thyristor on lower right.
In this two-dimensional light-emitting element array device, ON state (light-on state) of the light-emitting thyristor P may be transferred on the device toward the right side or lower side on the drawing. In this case, four light-emitting thyristors enclosed by a dotted-line 10 constitutes one picture-element. Therefore, the area of one picture-element is large, resulting in the low density of picture-elements.
The object of the present invention is to provide a two-dimensional light-emitting element array device in which the density of picture-elements may be increased.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for driving the two-dimensional light emitting element array device.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a two-dimensional light-emitting element array device comprises a light-emitting element array in which a plurality of three-terminal light-emitting thyristors are arranged in X-Y matrix of N rowsxc3x97M columns (Nxe2x89xa71, Mxe2x89xa70) ; a plurality of row lines to each thereof an anode of the thyristor on a corresponding row of the matrix is connected; one clock line to which all the row lines are connected; a plurality of row address lines to each thereof a gate of the thyristor on a corresponding row and a 0th column of the matrix is connected; and a plurality of column address lines to each thereof a gate of the thyristor on a corresponding column of 1st-Mth columns of the matrix is connected; and light-emitting portions of all the thyristors on the 0th column are covered by an opaque material.
A method for driving this device in such a manner that one or more thyristors on a Jth column (1xe2x89xa6Jxe2x89xa6M) of the matrix is intended to emit light comprises the steps of: driving a row address line to High-level, which is of a corresponding row of the matrix on which a thyristor to be emitted light is, while driving other row address lines to Low-level; driving a column address line on the Jth column to Low-level, while driving other column address lines to High-level; and driving the clock line to High-level.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a two-dimensional light-emitting element array device comprises a light-emitting element array in which a plurality of three-terminal light-emitting thyristors are arranged in X-Y matrix of N rowsxc3x97M columns (Nxe2x89xa71, Mxe2x89xa71); one clock line to which anodes of all the thyristors are connected; a plurality of row address lines to each thereof a gate of the thyristor on a corresponding row of the matrix is connected through a first resistor; and a plurality of column address lines to each thereof a gate of the thyristor on a corresponding column of the matrix is connected through a second resistor.
A method for driving this device in such a manner that a thyristor on a Ith row and Jth column (1xe2x89xa6Ixe2x89xa6N, 1xe2x89xa6Jxe2x89xa6M) of the matrix is intended to emit light comprises the steps of: driving a row address line on the Ith row to Low-level, while driving other row address lines to High-level; driving a column address line of the Jth column to Low-level, while driving other column address lines to High-level; and driving the clock line to High-level.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, a two-dimensional light-emitting element array device comprises a light-emitting element array in which a plurality of three-terminal light-emitting thyristors are arranged in X-Y matrix of N rowsxc3x97M columns (Nxe2x89xa71, Mxe2x89xa70); a plurality of row lines to each thereof an anode of the thyristor on a corresponding row of the matrix is connected; one clock line to which all the row lines are connected; a plurality of row address lines to each thereof a gate of the thyristor on a corresponding row and a 0th column of the matrix is connected; a plurality of column address lines to each thereof a gate of the thyristor on a corresponding column of 1st-Mth columns of the matrix is connected; a first self-scanning type transfer element array for driving the column address lines to High-level or Low-level by self scanning thereof; and a second self-scanning type transfer element array for driving the row address lines to High-level or Low-level by self scanning thereof; and light-emitting portions of all the thyristors on the 0th column are covered by an opaque material.
A method for driving this device in such a manner that one or more thyristors on a Jth column (1xe2x89xa6Jxe2x89xa6M) of the matrix is intended to emit light comprises the steps of: driving the column address lines in turn to High-level by the first self-scanning type transfer element array; driving one or more row address lines to High-level, while driving other row address lines to Low-level by the second self-scanning type transfer element array, when the column address line on the Jth column is driven to Low-level; and driving the clock line to High-level.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a two-dimensional light-emitting element array device comprises a light-emitting element array in which a plurality of three-terminal light-emitting thyristors are arranged in X-Y matrix of N rowsxc3x97M columns (Nxe2x89xa71, Mxe2x89xa71); one clock line to which anodes of all the thyristors are connected; a plurality of row address lines to each thereof a gate of the thyristor on a corresponding row of the matrix is connected through a first resistor; a plurality of column address lines to each thereof a gate of the thyristor on a corresponding column of the matrix is connected through a second resistor; a first-scanning type transfer element array for driving the column address lines to High-level or Low-level by self scanning thereof; and a second-scanning type transfer element array for driving the row address lines to High-level or Low-level by self scanning thereof.
A method for driving this device in such a manner that a thyristor on a Ith row and Jth column (1xe2x89xa6Ixe2x89xa6N, 1xe2x89xa6Jxe2x89xa6M) of the matrix is intended to emit light comprises the steps of: driving the column address lines in turn to Low-level by the first self-scanning type transfer element array; driving the row address lines in turn to Low-level by the second self-scanning type transfer element array, when the column address line on the Jth column is driven to Low-level; and driving the clock line to High-level.
According to the present invention, the density of picture-elements of the device may be increased, since one light-emitting thyristor constitutes one picture-element.